Monday morning fire in Utica kills mother, three young children

UTICA, N.Y. (AP) — Police say the fire that tore through one half of a central New York duplex killed three young children and their mother.

Utica Police Sgt. Steve Hauck (howk) says the children were 1, 2 and 4 years old. Police have not released their names or the name and age of their mother, pending family notification.

The blaze was reported at 9:30 a.m. Monday. Firefighters were pushed back in their first search effort when a stairway collapsed. The fire was mostly out 20 minutes later and declared completely out at 11:30 a.m.

Fire officials say when the house was inspected a year ago, there were working smoking detectors. They say it’s too early to say what caused the fire.